Crimson Love
by Preetz
Summary: With Lothur gone and peace settling in Bluebay Harbor, Blake wants to redefine his relationship with Tori. But that's the last thing on her mind. The tranquility soon is shattered when a Samurai from past shows up in town wreaking havoc in their lives. Can love blossom in a battlefield dyed in crimson? ShaneXToriXBlake. DustinXMarah. Read at your own risk! T just in case!
1. Trouble's brewing!

Hey, guys! So here is a PRNS fic that I had written ages ago in my notebook. I wrote only a little, but now that I've found some time, I thought I'd post this.

So this is _****Shane X Tori.****_ Also, _**Dus**_ _ **tin X**_ _ **Marah.**_ I always have a thing for rare, underrated pairings and so it's Tori with Shane. Well, I honestly always felt they should be together. But I won't be butchering Blake in my fic just to get them together lol.

Hope any fans still around to read this fic will like it. I wanted to post this on PRNS's tenth anniversary but then, here it comes.

Also... ****If you don't like it, you don't have to read it!****

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 **Crimson Love**

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 **Summary:** With Lothur gone and peace settling in Bluebay Harbour, Blake wants to redefine his relationship with Tori. But that's the last thing on her mind. The tranquility soon is shattered when a Samurai from past shows up in town wreaking havoc not in the town alone but also in the lives of the ex-rangers.

And there's another thing, Blake has to watch the love of his life getting dyed in shades of Crimson.

Shane X Tori X Blake, Dustin X Marah

P.S. I know Shane is RED but still. Crimson is the colour of angst, the colour of painful love, isn't it?

 **DISCLAIMER:** Obviously PRNS isn't mine.

 **Chapter One**

 **Trouble's brewing!**

 _ **Deep in the woods surrounding Blue-bay Harbor-**_

Shane walks along, occasionally dodging some tall bamboos, walking aimlessly, thinking about all the things that have happened ever since Lothur was defeated. Peace was finally established in Blue bay Harbor and the Ninja academy too found it's lost tranquility. He was happy to be teaching at the academy. He still is and he thinks of it as a greatest honor bestowed upon him. But deep down, he always felt something was amiss. By something he meant skateboarding, may be. And however pleasing the calm around him seemed to be, there were times when he lost track of his thoughts. Times when he needed to clear his head. Finding a quiet spot just beside the lake, he would just sit alone, gazing at the waters, trying to organize his thoughts. Today is no different. He's here to ponder over certain things.

The weather is pleasant, the gentle rustling of the leaves mixed with the sound of water has begun to soothe him.

Hearing a noise from the bushes behind him, he jostles out of his thoughts. He turns around in a flash, alarmed and ready. For a split second he wonders if he has just been followed by one of his companions but quickly dispatches the thought. His friends knew he liked to think alone. They wouldn't bother to follow him here. Even if they did, wouldn't they just reveal themselves? So just who could it be?

He turns his gaze to the lake again but a movement close to his back catches him off guard. He swirls around, poised to strike whoever it is but is thrown back with intense force that almost sends him tumbling down into the lake.

 _"Whoa!"_

He exhales sharply, eyes narrowing as he stands to dust his pants off. He scans his surroundings for the attacker but there's no one around. Definitely not in the line of his vision. Something in the back of his mind tells him not to leave his back unguarded and he flips around only to be knocked flat on to the muddy ground with a thud, a lightening fast blow aimed at his chest causing him to whimper in pain.

 _"Who's there?"_

He shouts, standing up again, taking deep breaths to calm himself. The answer came again as kick on his back. This time there is absolutely no time to for him to turn around and all his ninja reflexes just proved out to be futile. He falls, almost smacking his face on to the rough ground, rolls and finds his footing again. He then wipes some mud off his cheek, grunting in anger.

 _"Man, so that's all you've got huh? Why don't you try hitting me from the front? Think you can't face me?"_

Another lightening fast blow hits him, this time from the front pushing him into the lake. The water is shallow enough near the bank giving him the advantage to recover soon. Catching his breath, he takes a good look at his surroundings. There isn't any trace of the culprit anywhere. He sighs while shaking his head. He has hoped his words would coax the attacker to show himself but nothing of that sort has happened.

 _"Such a coward, not even letting hims_ elf _seen."_

He comments almost to himself. A distinct metallic sound catches his attention. He lifts his head right in the nick of time to catch a glimpse of someone standing a few feet away. Dressed in traditional robes, features hidden behind an old fashioned mask, he looked like a Samurai which explains the sound must have been from sheathing his Katana. Shane looks at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. But it's only a split second image. Because in the very next second, the figure disappears and everything around Shane is so serene that he is left to wonder if what he saw has only been a mirage.

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A while later at the Ninja Ops-

Blake walks out of the dojo, his hands tucked in the pockets of his jeans, a light cotton sweat-shirt with short sleeves allowing him to feel the not so chilly breeze on his arms. He has been staying with the Wind Ninja Academy, lending his hand, doing what ever little he could to teach the students, helping sensei and others to manage the place. He occasionally goes motocrossing with Dustin and Hunter. Life couldn't just be any better. It's saturday. He almost bangs his head for letting the thought slip out of his mind. Saturday- the day when he's supposed to go on a date with Tori Hanson.

He knew he was attracted to the blonde girl right from the start. They have hit it off quite well too. She was a brave ranger, feisty but friendly at the same time. He just knew she was something else. He wasn't sure if she had felt the same way about him but she definitely seemed interested in him. He wanted to take her out back then but had to stop himself because of various reasons, mainly due to his duties as a ranger. They had mutually agreed to give it a shot again when things would settle down. He smiles recollecting those memories. He hasn't had enough confidence to ask her out again but this morning when he had casually asked her if she would join him for some coffee, her response was encouragingly positive.

He puffs his chest, taking deep breaths and laughs nervously. Well, a guy is allowed to be a little nervous at times like these, he assures himself. It's still a little late after lunch, the courtyard that would usually be bursting with students has donned a deserted look. He looks back at the dojo and wonders if Tori would run into him while going on her usual walks around the place.

And almost as if on a cue, he finds her walking out of the dojo. And upon seeing him, she gives him a wave and walks over.

"Hey! What're you doing all by yourself? Shouldn't you be at the track?"

Her usual cheerful demeanor puts him at ease.

"Just gave up the fun for our date tonight."

He answers with a chuckle. For a moment Tori looks flabbergasted.

"Look, Tor… We're going out just like we promised right? You look so surprised. I'm sorry if I sprung this on you."

"No. No. You just surprised me. I... didn't think this was a date."

He lets out a self-depreciating laugh.

"What else could it be? I want this to be our first date. As perfect as it can be, " words just flow out of his mouth, his nervousness long gone, "Don't you feel the same way?"

Tori blinks. His frank confession hitting her like cold wind on her face. But before she can come up with a reply, her morpher beeps. She presses the button, thankful for the interruption.

"Hey Tor," comes a raspy voice from the morpher that's still being used as a comm device, "It's Dustin. Shane's in here. And something's not right with him."

Blake and Tori exchange glances. Blake knows now is not the time to press the issue further. Just what is in store for them? Is peace still miles, perhaps light-years away? He quickly shakes off his thoughts and says, "we should go see him."

But he needn't say it. Because Tori is already bolting towards the dojo at full speed.

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"Shane!"

Tori exclaims as she enters the dojo. She runs to the command center to find the ex-red ranger slumped on one of the chairs, Dustin sitting on the armrest, his arm draped around his companion.

"What happened?"

Shane who has his head hung low, slowly looks up to meet her gaze.

"Are you hurt?"

Tori reaches out to her best friend in red, her eyes immediately scanning the sight of him for injuries.

"So you're hurt! And you're soaking wet!"

Tori hollers, her fingers now brushing a rough bruise on his left cheek.

"Ow!" Shane grimaces, "Dustin, you called her here? I told you there's nothing to worry!"

Tori kneels down to rest a comforting hand on his knee, "Shane."

"Hey," Shane gives her his best smile and reaches out to ruffle her hair, "don't look so worried. I'm fine."

Tori smiles in return. Dustin too can't help but smile a little.

"What...?" Blake enters, swallowing his words as he does, careful so that he wouldn't interrupt the best friends.

Shane keeps patting her head for a few more moments.

Tori finally giggles, "What, do I look like a child to you, Shane Clark?"

She then takes his other hand in hers and looks him straight in the eye.

"you still owe me an explanation. What happened? Look at you Shane. You're a mess. Your clothes..." She gestures to his red t-shirt which is now completely slick with mud, his black trousers damp and sticking to his legs. Even his hairs are dingy.

"I just fell in to the lake."

"Really now? Go on. I'm listening."

Tori folds her arms and then looks at Dustin.

"I just got back here. He won't tell me anything, " Dustin shrugs his shoulders, a troubled expression etched on his face.

"There's no story to tell Dusty," Shane chides him, getting to his feet on shaky legs.

Tori looks at Cam who's furiously typing away at his laptop for help.

"Cam?"

Cam finally looks up and sighs. He has been listening to their conversation. He is worried as well. A few aliens have been spotted around the town. He has been tracking their activities and it is one hundred percent likely that Shane could have been under an attack from one of them. But he couldn't bring himself to admit it aloud.

"I'm sure if Shane says he's fine, it means he really is."

Cam gives Tori a reassuring smile. Tori's shoulders slump and she glares at Shane.

"You- don't think this is over. I know you too well, Shane Clark and you better be honest with me. 'cause if you lie, I'll find out anyway!"

Shane laughs and wraps his arm around her shoulders, hugging her slightly.

"Haha. Try me. I'm not lying, Tor."

Tori gives him a shove, "hey, put some clean clothes on before you come near me!"

The trio (Shane, Dusty, Tor) laugh in unison.

Blake quashes a wave of jealousy taking over him and clears his throat to speak, "Well, I'm glad nothing's serious."

"Hey, man, " Shane greets him with his usual cheery smile, "sorry if I worried you."

Blake just shrugs. Just then Hunter enters the room, his eyes focusing on Dustin.

"Dude, that was quite a show you missed back there. Why'd you pull outta it? Things were getting interesting. But too bad, I was only close to winning and didn't actually make it!"

Dustin claps him on the shoulder, "cheer up, there will always be a next. And me, well, I'm not in that race to win."

"You're weirdo," Hunter comments, tossing his helmet on to the couch, dusting his track suit.

"Hey, now. You'll ruin my dad's favorite carpet. How many times should I tell you to do it outside?" Cam chides him.

"Aww man, fine!"

With a sigh, Hunter leaves, bumping his fists with his brother on his way out. Blake smiles a little for his brother. It's becoming hard to ignore the anxiety welling up inside him. He has a bad feeling about everything.

"Oh hey! Forgot to say this, " Hunter returns to exchange a word with Dustin, "Kelly's been wanting to see you. You better hurry off real soon, mate."

"Right. Yeah."

Dustin nods. Hunter walks away but turns his gaze on Tori and Blake, "You guys still here? Aren't you supposed to go on a date?"

"You guys are going on a date?" Dustin asks, looking stunned.

Blake looks sheepishly at everyone, "Oh come on, it's just some coffee we'll be getting there. So... knock it off, you guys!"

Hunter laughs, bopping his younger brother on his head before walking out.

Tori looks down at her feet, embarrassed.

"Is it really OK to go on a date?" she whispers almost to herself, but Shane is quick to answer her.

"Go on Tor. I'm fine really. Just go."

Blake checks his watch. Tori smiles stiffly before joining him. With a contented smile, he walks her out of the dojo.

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 _ **Next Part-**_

Blake-Tori's coffee date. Shane explains his encounter with the mysterious Samurai to Cam. Trouble seems brewing again in town.

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 _ **AN:**_ _So that was it. I hope it wasn't too bad. Apologies for any grammar, spell errors. Tried my best to keep it error free. Feel free to drop in a review if you like._

 _And yes! No bashing._

 _Thank you._

 _See you soon with next chapter. I might include Dustin x Marah also. Well, partly 'cause I'm hopeless. Lol._


	2. Trouble's brewing! PART 2

AN: Thanks to Z tate, DayaVineet's girl for the words of encouragement. :D

Here's the next chap. The story's just building up. Soon you'll see more couple moments as the story progresses. Just hang on.

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Crimson Love

Chapter two

Trouble's brewing Part 2

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Shane glances at Tori's back as she slowly makes her way out of the Ninja Ops. He knows she's worried. But he's also sure, she will be okay. Plus, she's got Blake by her side. He turns to focus on his friend in yellow instead-

"So, Dusty, you didn't tell me what brought you here. You were supposed to be at Storm Chargers. This was the race you were looking forward to-"

"Yeah. Right, man. But... I couldn't focus. And I already told you, I wasn't in that race to win. I usually just do it for fun. Today, well, I just.. uh.. ran into somebody I didn't want to meet and just had to use an escape pod to get back here," Dustin answers him and looks away.

Shane just sighs. At least, that explains something. But then those uncharacteristic pauses in between almost made him frown, before he could question the ex-yellow ranger about the same, the very same question came his way.

"Are you sure you okay, mate?" asks Dustin, "I mean, you look beat."

Shane grins, putting up a perfect display of his teeth.

"I sure am. All I will need is some rest and rejuvenation in my room and I'll be good as new."

Dustin smiles back nodding, "I'll be heading to Kelly's then. And if you need me, I'm just a beep away."

Shane claps him on the shoulder, hugging him briefly, "sure thing. See you later then, Dusty."

"Don't hang around by yourself for too long, man. It's peaceful here but sometimes it gets a little lonely. Drop by Kelly's for a bit if you can. Okay?"

Shane gives him a nod and Dustin walks away.

Alone again, Shane can't help but wonder how long the peace will last.

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Many minutes later, Shane is in his room, or to be put precisely, in the quarters he is allocated when he became a teacher. It's a small, cozy room but well furnished in a traditional way. The sliding door is made of bamboo and the window at the rear giving a view of the woods is a bonus. Pulling up the screen, he gazes at the scenery before his eyes. That's when there's a knock and he hears the door slide open.

"Feeling better?"

Cam inquires stepping inside, closing the door behind him.

"You know what they say- a cold shower does wonders. And doing laundry- I do love the smell of my new detergent. My thoughts now are more collected. So, yeah, I'm feeling relaxed and may be a little err- hungry?"

Cam laughs hearing Shane's long, cheerful answer.

"Well, glad you're back in your spirits," he says.

"I'm fine, Cam."

Shane assures him. But Cam just gets to the point.

"So what was it that you couldn't spill it before those guys?"

Shane cocks an eyebrow at him, "What? You think you smell something fishy?"

"I can pretty much, every single time."

Cam smiles. Shane shakes his head a little before deciding to answer him. Grabbing a towel, he ruffles his slightly wet hair. Collapsing onto his bed, he opens his mouth to speak. Just what should he say though?

"I.. I was attacked, Cam."

Cam's jaw drops. Fixing it quickly and Straightening his glasses, he addresses the former red ranger again.

"Who was it? Did you see him? And don't tell me you were too distracted to defend yourself?"

Shane sighs, fiddling with the hem of his red shirt which he just put on-

"I don't know. I mean, I tried. But it was all so sudden and I couldn't see him."

"Oh come on, Shane! You're the red ranger! You could have taken him down easily-"

"I was a red ranger. And yes, I tried. But he was fast. Almost, super human."

"He was an alien?"

"I don't think so, Cam. And if I'm not wrong, he looks like a Samurai."

"A 'what' now?"

Cam's mouth is wide open again. He closes it, levels his gaze on his friend in red-

"A Samurai? Are you sure, you weren't hallucinating? I mean, look at you. Anybody could tell that you were stressed. Are you still depressed that you couldn't make it to the final list of candidates at the pro champion skate boarding?"

"Lay it off, man. That was a week ago. Yeah, I guess a part of me was sad that I couldn't even appear at the auditions owing to things going on here but that doesn't mean I'm hallucinating. Do you think I just thrashed myself and jumped into the lake?"

Shane gives him a look of exasperation. Cam shakes his head, looking apologetic.

"No, mate. That's not what I was implying. I was just referring to the Samurai part. Isn't it more likely that the attacker could be an alien?"

"May be. But hey, he's a Samurai. It was just a glimpse but I'm sure."

A silence falls over them. The ex-Samurai ranger takes a few more moments to process the information he received.

"Well then, leave this to me. I'll look into who this mysterious Samurai could be."

Cam gives him a smile and is about to walk away when Shane voices his concern.

"I didn't want to scare the guys by telling them baseless stories. I mean, this couldn't possibly mean a danger, right Cam?"

"I don't know Shane." Cam answers him, "If I'm honest, I'd tell you that things have been getting weird around the town. I've detected the presence of some Aliens here in Bluebay Harbor. I've been monitoring their actions. But I can't confirm anything right now. Your secret is safe with me. But I'm afraid, it might not remain a secret for too long..."

Shane watches as Cam leaves with a troubled smile on his face. Taking deep breaths, he tries to calm his mind. Picking up a first aid kit, he tends to the scratches on his cheek and arms. There's one thing he can be sure of, no one knows what the future beholds.

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Blake takes Tori to an open top cafe by the beach. Relief graces his features as he finally finds her smiling and relaxing. They talk about casual things till they arrive at their table. Blake places an order for two coffees and an extra large doughnut.

Tori's smile widens at the sight of it.

"These doughnuts are such a _delish!_ I remember my first time tasting them. I wanted Shane and Dusty to try them too. But then they were like, Eww! Berries aren't guy stuff.

Some crazy guys they are! I can't believe they ended up as rangers. I mean those guys were always up to some mischief. Dusty would himself say, Tori you're the logical one here.. Haha. Being here takes me down those memory lanes."

She pauses, taking a deep breath and continues with a relaxed smile on her face, "This is a breather! Thanks for getting me here Blake. I haven't really had the time to visit this place and those two morons I call my best friends are neck-deep in their own stuff-"

Tori suddenly trails off, her eyes focusing on Blake who's looking at her with a slight smile.

"I'm sorry Blake. We're here on a date and all I did was talk about my friends."

Blake shakes his head, "don't worry. They're friends of mine too."

Tori falls silent, stirring her coffee listlessly. The wind ruffles her skirt near her ankles. She frowns as she looks at the sleeve of the orange shirt she wore. She wasn't even dressed properly for a date! But then this couldn't mean a date, right? How could she be out enjoying a date while Shane was suffering? Shane….. Her eyebrows furrow further as she thinks about her best friend. He sure seemed like he was hiding something. That charming smile of his was a tool he often used to hide his true emotions. Even when things got out of hand with the Scyla incident, he acted cool, faking a smile before her. This time too, he must be faking it. That's it! She needs to get him to talk! _She can. She must…_ Because only Tori Hanson has the power to break that stupid walls Shane Clark sometimes builds around himself-

"You thinking about Shane?"

Blake's voice pulls her out of her thoughts. Tori blinks once. Twice. And finally speaks.

"How did you figure?"

"'cause you had it written all over your face. I know you always look out for your friends. That's another of your amazing traits that's got me hooked."

Blake gives her a smile that any girl would find charming. Tori's heart wavers a little but she still manages to speak her mind.

"I don't really hate the idea of going out with you, Blake. It's just that… I need time. Things have just calmed down and then there's this weird stuff going on with Shane. I can't be entirely selfish and just choose my happiness over everything. I'm sorry."

Tori looks away briefly.

"Don't be," Blake assures her, "I'm glad you're not entirely against it. Takes a weight off my chest-"

Tori frowns, "What? You're worried about something as trivial as this?"

"Nothing related to you- to us, can be trivial, Tori.

Tori is rendered speechless. Blake just smiles at her.

"I'm glad you're still ready to give us a chance. Let's go on another date soon."

Tori nods, smiling, "yeah."

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The duo then spend the afternoon at the beach. Tori trying to teach him the basics of surfing again. They laugh and have fun in the water. Blake is totally pleased but he can't shake off the feeling that Tori still thinks of him, just as a friend. Although grateful, he still wishes he would move past a certain ex-red ranger and top the list.

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That evening, all the ex-rangers are gathered around in the dojo's dining hall at the Ninja Academy. As usual, it's dinner time. They all have a great time, munching on the delicacies Cam has cooked for them.

"Hey man, this is awesome! I mean I can't get tired of eating your sushi-balls, " says Dustin.

Cam laughs.

"It's totally unfair that you're the only one who works this hard in the kitchen. May be you should try to use the services of one of the guys these days..." Tori comments, her eyes often darting out into the hallway.

Dustin rolls his eyes, "Hey! May be you could lend him a hand too. Aren't girls supposed to cook?"

Hunter chides him, "watch your tongue Dusty. Tori might rip it off your mouth."

Dustin digs into another sushi-ball. He is sure Tori would snap at him but to his relief, she hasn't even heard his remark at all! Grinning, he reaches for another Sushi-ball.

Meanwhile, Tori sits in her chair after finishing off a snack. She doesn't even reach for seconds as her thoughts were focused elsewhere. She hasn't seen Shane for a while now and she's worried. _She wanted to pay him a visit but what if he was asleep?_

Just then, as if it's her thoughts that beckoned him there, Shane arrives, greeting everyone with a smile. He then reaches for Tori giving her a quick hug.

"You feeling fine?" Tori asks trying not to sound like she was fussing over him.

"Alive and kicking. In fact I could kick quite a few kalzaks if they show up right this instant."

"That's great," Tori heaves a sigh of relief.

 **Dustin-** "yeah mate. You got us worried today."

 **Hunter-** "Yeah we were wondering if you lost your head cause you were still hung up on that tournament you missed-"

 **Shane-** "Would you guys just stop mentioning it? Even if I did forget, your comments aren't helping one bit."

 **Tori-** 'Hey, you guys, leave him alone. Anyone's up for a game?"

Tori asks finishing off dinner.

 **Hunter-** "haven't tried hand at simulations for quite a while, huh?"

 **Dustin-** "hey, so now you want to practice your moves on full stomach?"

 **Tori-** "I have a little appetite. So, anyone whose stomach is light as feather is welcome to join me."

 **Hunter-** "I'm in. I mean I'm teaching the kids, but never gotta feel the heat. Simulation sounds perfect. If you're up for a battle Tori, you just got one."

 **Dustin-** "Lets head to the Sims!"

 **Blake-** "I'm tired. I can always watch though."

 **Dustin-** "Man, that's a shame. As of me, my stomach could burst at any moment, but that won't stop me from showing off some new moves I learned…"

 **Hunter-** "Damn, I'm missing real battle! Ugh! lets just go, guys!"

Cam laughs hearing their excited voices.

 **Cam-** "sure. lemme just wrap up my work here, then battle out our skills."

" _If anyone wants a battle. I'm ready as always,"_ says a voice.

Everyone freeze in their places.

Cam looks up to find a familiar man, standing at the door.

"Dad," he smiles, "you're back!"

The ex-rangers gather around their Sensei, bowing to him.

Shane, Tori, Dustin are the first ones to speak-

 **Shane-** "Welcome back, Sensei."

 **Tori-** "Yeah, we missed you."

 **Dustin-** "Would you like some dinner? Cam has made these delicious sushi-balls."

Sensei smiles at the trio.

"Thank you Shane, Tori and Dustin. I've already filled my palate on my way back here. Now, Cam, if you're done here, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

Cam nods, "sure, dad. Just gimme a moment."

"Find me in my room."

With that Sensei begins to leave. Dustin interrupts him-

"Hey, why don't you join us in the sims, sensei? I mean. You can watch us battle it out. Erm, help us learn something?" he trails off scratching his head.

Sensei's calm eyes find his chestnut brown ones, "you have already learned everything I could teach you. Now all of you go back to sleep. So that classes can resume from tomorrow."

"But tomorrow is sunday! And we don't teach on sundays-" Hunter exclaims.

"Yea, Sensei. We were going to hit the beach. But, you say-" Dustin begins weakly but Sensei cuts him off.

"It is as I say. All of you. Disperse."

At Sensei's command, everyone scatters to their respective rooms.

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 **The next day,**

Shane has just finished instructing a batch of students. It's close to lunch time. He's hardly got any stamina left. He decides to take a short break and announces the same. The students fly in all directions, happy to be free from practice.

He moves into shade. Resting his back against a tree, he gulps in some fresh air. Someone taps him on the shoulder.

"Hey, Cam."

He greets the ex-samurai ranger with a strained smile.

"Feeling any better?" Cam asks.

"I'm fine, really. I had some trouble falling asleep last night, so I guess that's the reason I look beat." Shane answers.

"Why don't you call it a day? I'll let someone else handle your classes. Dad won't mind."

"Thanks, Cam. But, no, really, not needed. So, you talked to Sensei?"

"About the samurai? No. Dad's been tracking some aliens all this while. He's been trying to find a lost ancient scroll and he really is hell worried about the academy's safety. So, I thought I'd delay selling him the news as much as I could."

"Figures. But, Aliens? I mean, is it really that serious?"

"I can't be sure Shane. And this mysterious Samurai, I'm gonna look into him myself. I've got something planned."

"That's great, buddy. I knew I could count on you."

Shane claps him on the shoulder and smiles n relief.

"Man, that guy! He was something. His lightening fast moves knocked me out. I don't think I'm strong enough to face an enemy of his sorts."

Shane shakes his head, staring into the distance. Cam places a hand on his shoulder-

"Don't say that Shane. You've proved your abilities countless times. Don't loose confidence 'cause you just lost a fight. Technically speaking, you didn't loose it either. You were just… should I say stunned?"

"Yeah," snorts Shane, "too stunned to fight him back. Where does that put me as a red ranger? An ex-red ranger that is?"

He then sighs. Cam is silent as he watches him.

"I don't think I'll ever forget those moves even in my dream. He was perfect, Cam. When I provoked him to attack me from the front, he did. Just one kick and I was thrown into the lake-"

Cam is wondering how to reply to his words and that's when they hear a voice.

"So, someone did throw you into the lake huh?"

A very agitated Tori walks towards the duo, crossing the few feet distance between them. Shane looks dumbstruck. He was so much into the conversation with Cam that he didn't even see her approaching. A little dazed, he looks at Cam for help.

Cam gives a quick shake of his head.

"Ah, I'll let you handle it from here. Lunch break already? See you around, Tori."

With that he is gone.

Shane gulps audibly as Tori levels him with a death glare.

"Hey, Tor-"

"I knew something was up. I just knew it! I always know when you lie to me. Shane, I can't believe you were hiding such an important thing from me. From our gang-" Tori rambles on.

"Hey, give it a break! Tor, I'm sorry."

He tries to apologize but she cuts him off.

"Do you even know how much you've worried me? Well. Go on, explain. I'm listening."

"That's exactly why I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to be worried."

"Too bad, I was. Even Dusty was."

She gives him a look. He apologizes again.

"I'm sorry, Tor. I just… thought you'd be better off without knowing."

"But I need to know what's going on with my best friend, Shane. Tell me. Who was it? Did you see him?"

"Nah. He looked like a Samurai."

Her eyes widen for a moment. He gives her a firm nod.

"A very strong one."

After a brief silence, she asks, "is he dangerous?"

"I don't know. I mean, he's a Samurai. A warrior. He's nearly got me. But then, he ought to be fighting for the right thing. Now, wouldn't he?"

She lets out a huge sigh. Proceeding to link her arm with his, she rests her head against his shoulder.

"How do we know?' she asks, her voice soft like a whisper.

"Cam's looking into him."

He answers without looking at the blond by his side, his eyes focused on the woods in the distance.

"We'll be okay right?" she asks him tentatively.

"We've always been. I'm sure we'll be good this time too."

She smiles, looking briefly at him.

"I believe it when you say that, Shane."

He just beams at her. And he could be this relaxed because she's with him. Unable to bring himself to say that, he just wraps an arm around her shoulder giving it a light squeeze.

Unknown to the duo, a certain ex-ranger has been watching them for quite a while….

/

 **Nxt part**

Cam devices a plan to get to know more of the mysterious samurai. The ex-rangers are back to usual schedule, with classes resuming on sensei's orders. Someone shows up at the academy to meet the gang.

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 **AN:** This was a short chapter and a bit lousy too. Sorry. But there's more to come. And things will get interesting soon…. N yeah, I plan to update regularly. Hope you guys liked the update.

Thank you.


	3. Missing Scrolls

_**AN:** So here's the next chapter. I hope you guys like it._

 _DayaVineet's Girl- Your reviews mean so much sweets, thank you. I'm glad you like the story. :)_

 **Crimson Lo** **ve**

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 **Missing Scrolls Part one.**

After seeing off Shane, Cam is back in the command center trying to process the current situation at hand. Opening his notepad, he quickly scribbles down the major problems the gang has been facing off recently.

 _ **Number 1-**_ The mysterious Samurai Figure who seemed to be targeting Shane.

 _ **Number 2-**_ The missing scrolls which Dad couldn't get his hands on.

He recalls his dad's words from previous night-

" _Some of the precious scrolls from Academies around the world went missing. My attempts to find all of them were completely futile."_

 _ **Number 3-**_ more to come.

Cam sighs as he sets aside his notepad and pen. Just then, his laptop flashes signaling an incoming call. The call is auto activated and Cam is taken aback as he takes a looks at the burred figure on the screen-

" **Cousin Cam** ," says a quiet voice, "I need to talk to you. It's urgent. Come…. Find me…."

The picture of the person soon faded out and Cam is looking at the screen which has returned to it's normal state.

"I gotta hurry," he whispers to himself, "things sure are getting worse."

He gets to his feet. Making up his mind to trace out the caller, he sets out of the room quietly. He wished he still had Cyber Cam around so no one will notice his absence in the dojo.

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Meanwhile, Blake stands rooted to his spot, not moving an inch. He has been watching Shane and Tori from quite a while now and he could barely stop himself from barging into their conversation. He watched Tori link her arm with Shane's, rest her head on his shoulder, a rather affectionate gesture which churned his stomach. They seemed completely obvious, talking about who knows what. At first, he reasoned that Tori must be trying to cheer Shane up after whatever happened with him in the woods. But as he continues to watch them interact, he couldn't help but feel there could be only one reason that binds them together. He never once tears his eyes from the duo, watching them from across the courtyard. His eyes narrow when he finds Shane wrapping an arm around Tori's shoulders in a friendly hug. The duo are soon laughing at something and Blake continues to watch while trying to shoo away feelings of jealousy.

He finally tears his gaze away and glances at his feet sheepishly. _What would Tori and Shane think if they knew about his stupid jealousy?_ He is lost in thoughts, chiding himself for letting his mind take control and that's when someone rests a hand on his shoulder.

"Blake-"

Blake jumps at the contact and turns around. He heaves a sigh of relief when he sees it's Hunter.

"Hey, bro, are you okay?"

Blake shakes his head and laughs awkwardly.

"Of- of course! I am. Don't startle me like that!"

Despite his efforts not to look at Shane and Tori, his eyes focus on the very same duo anyway. From what he can see, Shane is in his usual cheerful mood cracking jokes causing Tori to double over with laughter. A frown began to make it's way on his features but he quickly fixes it and turns to look at his brother.

"Are you on a break, brother?"

Hunter doesn't answer. Just gives him a 'know-it-all' look.

"Are you seriously worried about that?"

Hunter nonchalantly points one hand towards where Shane and Tori are. He then wraps his arm around his younger sibling's shoulder to pull him close.

"Is that the reason you've been stuck with that lost look on your face, huh Blake?"

"I don't have a lost look on my face!"

Blake folds his arms, answering him with a huff. Hunter laughs-

"You sure do. But hey- They've been like this from- like forever! You've got no reason to be jealous! Look at them, they're usual business! So, cheer up and fix that face of yours."

He pats Blake's shoulder one last time and walks away.

Blake shakes his head. He thinks….

" _They're usual business. Huh. I think they're awfully close. And something about Tori's attitude tells me, something is beginning to change… hell no. I'm just over thinking!"_

With a huge sigh and a shake of his head, he moves to get his lunch and focus on his duties there after.

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 **Sometime after Lunch-**

Th ex-rangers are all summoned into the command center. Cam stood in the center, with Sensei standing tall beside him. Another unexpected presence greets the ex-rangers causing them to exchange glances. Dustin is the first to break the ice-

 **Dustin-** " _You!_ You were at the track yesterday and now you've followed me here?"

Chocolate brown eyes gaze into pools of piercing blue. Marah flinches under his gaze and averts her eyes.

 **Marah-** "I told you. There's something important you all need to know."

 **Dustin-** "Yeah. You're here to fool me again? Go on. Try me. I'm not going to fall for it again-"

 **Shane** **-** "You ran into her? No wonder you left the race in such a hurry- "

 **Hunter-** "Lost your focus 'cause of one girl. Some man you are-"

 **Dustin-** "Shut up!"

Dustin snaps at his friends, his cheeks slightly red. _Well, he is just fuming! Fuming in anger…_ and not embarrassed.

 **Dustin-** "Why is she here? And why did you bring us here Cam?"

 **Cam-** "Dustin. You should have listened to what she had to say. It could be important. After hearing her out, I must say it's important."

 **Tori-** "Cam… what do you mean?"

 **Hunter-** "And you Marah, why did you chase after Dustin again? You could have talked to me. I'm the logical one around here besides Tori."

Tori rolls her eyes. Dustin huffs. Marah takes deep breaths and finally speaks-

 **Marah-** "Well. I thought he'd be easy to talk to-"

 **Dustin-** "Not after all that happened back then!"

Dustin snaps at her and Marah flinches again. This is something she didn't expect. Happy go lucky Yellow Ranger has turned into an angry young man. She doesn't feel like approving of the change but sure felt apologetic.

 **Marah-** "I'm sorry."

She whispers looking at her feet. And when she looks back at Dustin, there's a twinge of sadness in her eyes. Dustin breaks eye contact and coughs awkwardly trying to ease the ache in his chest.

 **Cam-** "It's good that you contacted me Marah. This could be valuable information about the threat that awaits us."

 **Shane-** "And what exactly is this information?"

 **Cam-** "Let me explain."

Cam sighs loudly and then begins to explain-

 **Cam-** "I didn't tell you guys but we've been sensing some alien activity around the town lately. And then there was an attack on Shane."

 **Hunter, Dustin-** "An attack-?"

Everyone gasps. Except for Tori.

 **Cam-** "I'm not finished. I don't know who attacked Shane. It could be an alien but he thinks it's someone else entirely. Anyways, with the lost scroll of time, anything is possible. Dad has been trying to find the lost scrolls but so far zero luck-"

 **Dustin-** "What's a scroll of time?"

 **Marah-** "It can alter an event in the past. And Bazirg, he appears to have done just that."

 **Tori-** "Who's Bazirg?"

 **Marah-** "An alien and your new enemy."

 **Dustin-** "Are you serious!?"

 **Hunter-** "So an alien is after us! And we aren't even power rangers anymore! And did anyone say Shane was attacked? What the heck is going on?"

 **Cam-** "We don't know Hunter. Whatever it is, it's not good."

 **Hunter-** "I know that Cam."

 **Shane-** "So hey Marah. Tell us more about this Bazirg."

 **Marah-** "Well, last night, I was on my way home. It's gotten pretty late and I was taking a detour through some rather dark alleyways and that's when I overheard some aliens talking about Bazirg and the scroll of time. They were discussing some strategies to take down the rangers as well as get their hands on some kind of precious scrolls -"

 **Hunter-** "Holy cats!"

 **Marah-** "I could hear more 'cause they figured out someone was eavesdropping. They almost got me, but I got away and there's also something in my possession which I needed to secure. I went to Kapri's but she's out on a trip and I knew it was up to me to contact the rangers. I thought dropping by the track would be my best chance…. I'm sorry, I caused you… trouble."

As she finishes, her innocent eyes rest on Dustin's as she apologizes. Dustin grimaces as he hears her story. He almost wants to smack himself for being rude to her. He's just realized it's still painful for him to see her look sad. He sighs and ruffles his hair in frustration. _Why does his heart ache this way?_

He is reminded of the Beevil incident again. He exhales deeply and tries to focus on the topic at hand again. He looks at Cam, his eyes determined-

 **Dustin-** "so if this Bazirg guy got the scroll of time, then what?"

 **Cam-** "It could mean only one thing. Trouble."

 **Dustin-** "So, there's more trouble huh? How do we face it? I mean… we've lost our powers."

 **Cam-** "You guys still have your powers within you, remember?"

 **Shane-** "Yeah Cam. No one can take your inner powers. Basics taught at the academy, yeah."

 **Cam-** "Precisely! And well, dad and I are working together on something too. And with what Marah's precious possession, we can get back our last powers too..."

 **Hunter-** "We can?"

 **Dustin-** "You mean we can be power rangers again?!"

 **Hunter-** "Wow! I mean wow! Yay!"

Everyone lets out a cheery cry and laugh. The tension in the room eases, finally.

 **Cam-** "Well, it's only a theory for now guys. We need to work it out in our favor. So, I'm counting on you guys. What ever it is… I'm sure we can over come."

Everyone nods.

 **All-** "Yeah."

Marah looks at all of their determined faces and smiles. It sure does feel to be great to be on the right side for once. She bites her lip remembering the Beevil incident. _How she wished she could_ _use the scroll of time to_ _correct that mistake of hers! 'Cause only that could get rid of her heart ache…._

Shaking her head, she turns to look at her cousin.

 **Marah-** "Cousin Cam, thanks for finding me. I'm glad I could warn you guys of something-"

Cam reaches out to pat her head in an affectionate gesture that almost has her in tears.

 **Cam-** "You did great, Marah. I've been trying to contact you and Kapri for weeks now. Now that you're here, I want you to stay here with me, with us."

 **Marah-** "Wh-what?"

Marah's mouth is hung open.

 **Cam-** "And with those bad guys out there, I can't let my sisters stay all by themselves. Marah, you're going to stay-"

 **Dustin-** "She's gonna… what?"

Dustin's mouth is hung open too. He storms out of the command center muttering something like - _"Need some air!"_

Marah watches his back disappear out of her sight and then turns to Cam.

 **Marah-** "Cousin Cam, I can protect myself and I can't possibly impose-"

 **Cam-** "You're not imposing. You're family. And yes, you're going to stay. Dad feels the same way."

Sensei nods and pats her head and this time Marah is truly in tears.

 **Marah-** "Thank you."

 **Hunter-** "Are you sure she's isn't acting? I mean, she sure seems like a good actress."

 **Tori-** "One doesn't need to act too well to deceive Dustin. Anyways, something tells me, this time it's real."

 **Shane-** "May be she really did have a change of heart?"

 **Cam-** "you guys don't have any problem with her, right guys?"

Cam addresses the gang and everyone smiles.

 **Shane-** "Yeah sure. I mean.. see you around Marah."

 **Hunter-** "Yeah, lets stick together in these troublesome times. Heck I should have been a novelist! Haha!"

 **Blake-** "You surely do come up with cheezy lines, bro. Is that how you flatter ladies?"

 **Tori-** "Hey, girls don't need flattery all the time, alright? It's the heart they fall in love with-"

 **Hunter-** "Now you're being cheesy!" *laughs *

 **Tori-** "Where's Dustin?"

The cheerful mood in the room comes to an end as everyone tenses up.

 **Tori-** "uh… he… he will come around, I'm sure he's okay with Marah staying here too. I'm sure."

Tori laughs it off. Everyone join in nodding. Marah puts on a smile, genuinely moved by everyone's approval. Though a touch above her ability, she couldn't stop herself from wishing a certain ex-yellow ranger's approval as well.

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 _ **That night,**_

After dinner, Cam is with Shane in the command center discussing about the mysterious Samurai when Tori enters the room.

 **Cam-** "See here? I've set up CC cams all around the place. If that samurai shows up again, we'll know."

 **Shane-** "Cam, do you think he'll show up?"

Cam just shrugs. Shane has his arms folded and is deep in thoughts. Tori bumps her shoulder with his dragging him out of his thoughts.

 **Tori-** "Don't think too much, cadet Clarke. It ain't any good for ya…."

She reaches up to smooth his furrowed brows with her fingertips. Shane chuckles, finally noticing her presence.

Cam adjusts his spectacles and watches their interaction with a bemused smile. He turns his gaze nonchalantly and finds Blake standing by the doorway. Before he can call out to the ex-navy ranger, he storms away.

 _Weird!_ Cam shakes his head and looks back and forth between Shane and Tori who are engaged in a playful banter to the spot where Blake stood. _A war is coming up but three desperate hearts_ _a_ _re already at war?!_ He looks at Shane who's now teasing Tori about her date with Blake. _Okay, so may be he should say two hearts 'cause Shane is as clueless as ever!_

Sighing, he turns his focus back to his computer.

.

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 _ **The next day,**_

Classes go on as usual. There are no reports or any signs of miscreants from in and around the town and not a single sign of the mysterious Samurai either. Lunch break and Dustin is heading towards the dojo when he finds someone running towards him-

"Watch out! Hey-"

But that someone sure seemed in a hurry and didn't pay any attention to his warning and slammed right into him landing on top of him as he is sent sprawled on the floor.

"You!"

On a cue, Dustin's arms wrap themselves around his attacker's frail shoulders. His attacker looks down at him in shock and once again pools of blue collide with warm molten chocolate. For a second, he looses all his sense but quickly pulls himself together-

"Are you doing this on purpose?"

Heart racing, Dustin sends an awkward glare towards her and Marah blinks, tensing up.

 _She's knocked down the ex-yellow ranger, her ex-crush.. no, her all time crush and she's lying on top of him! Curse those damn heavens!_

She bites her lip. She should actually be thanking them, no? But then this could rile up the guy in the context further more and it could mean trouble.

" _Heyy! Get off me now!"_

Dustin raises his voice a little louder and Marah obeys him. Rolling on to her side, she slowly sits on her knees and looks at him. She watches as Dustin gets to his feet, dusting his pants.

 _No. No. What was she thinking?_ He is out of her league. An outstanding guy like him deserves a girl much better than the likes of her. There he stands, the brave ex-yellow ranger who would give up his life to save the planet, who was kind enough to help an enemy who seemed to be in trouble, adorable enough to put so much trust into the likes of her- And she, she didn't deserve his kindness at all. All she should now wish for is forgiveness.

"I'm… I'm sorry..."

She mumbles, tearing her gaze away from his handsome face and looking down at her hands in her lap.

"I was in a hurry. And I didn't look where I was going-"

"How long do you plan to sit there?"

She looks up and there's Dustin with his hand extended towards her.

Does he want her to take his hand? Is it okay to do so? Does he still care for her like he did back then?

 _No!_

This is merely his compassion to others and nothing else. But as she takes his hand and he hoists her to her feet, she couldn't help but hope for more.

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 _ **Next part-**_

 _The gang hits the beach to blow some steam! An attack ruins all fun… of course there's no stopping those hearts desperate for love!_

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 _ **AN:**_ _that was it! Hope you guys liked it. :D_

 _Yeah, more Shane/Tori and Dustin/Marah will come. Yeah as for Blake, it's one sided, sadly._

 _Stay tuned! :)_

 _Thanks for reading. And sorry for any grammar/spell errors. I've done my best to make this error free. So yeah. :)_


	4. Prelude to Another Storm

**AN:** Hey guys! Finally an update after so long. I hope all you guys reading will like it. Thanks.

 **Recap:** Shane encounters a strange Samurai in the woods who thrashes him in a battle. The gang gets to know the truth and Cam suspects Aliens are behind the attack. Marah shows up at the Ninja Ops with valuable information on some aliens plotting to take down the earth. Cam asks her to stay at their place. Much later, She runs into Dustin in a corridor knocking him to the floor.

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Marah gets to her feet thanks to Dustin's help. She's still gazing at her feet sheepishly when she hears him speak.

"What's this?"

Before she could jump at him and grab her book that has fallen to the ground, Dustin begins to flip through it.

"It's a sketch book?"

He asks, a little taken aback. The pictures in there are all colorful hand-drawn sketches, each looking vivid and lively.

"Cousin Cam wanted me to sketch those Aliens I saw that day. I was about to show him the sketch of Bazirg- ohh!"

She trails off, almost yelping in the end upon realizing something. Not all the sketches in there are meant for public viewing. She snatches the book from him but it's already too late. Dustin has seen most of her sketches, there were quite a few sketches of him as well, one in ranger outfit, one when he had saved her at the race track, one portraying the anguish in his eyes when she had stabbed him in the back during the Beevil incident and a latest portrait of him looking at her with angry eyes (might have been from when he snapped at her when she showed up in the Ninja Ops).

Marah closes the book and looks away. From the looks on his face, the ex-yellow ranger looks almost embarrassed. It's nothing compared to hers though. He has seen them, all of her drawings. What will he think of her now? That she's obsessed with him? That she's madly in love with him? May be not, because in there were numerous sketches of Kapri making all sorts of funny faces as well.

Marah opens a random page, pointing to one of the sketches she says,

"It's more like a journal. I try to portray some.. important events happening day to day."

She still doesn't look him in the eye and he finds it cute. He chides himself mentally before replying.

"You sure seem like a good artist."

He couldn't help but say it aloud. That makes her smile.

"Thanks. Drawing helped me to keep myself distracted on that ship."

"Never knew you could do something like this-" Dustin shakes his head, almost smiling back at her.

"And why not? My sister isn't as stupid as everyone thinks.." says a familiar voice.

"That's not what I-" Dustin is cut off as Marah lets out a squeal of delight.

"Kapri!" Marah exclaims, "What brings you here? I mean.. I'm glad to see you!"

"Cousin Cam found me right away," Kapri turns to look at Cam who's a step behind her. After exchanging a quick hug with Marah, she turns to him.

"I'll be staying here for a while and you're all protecting sis, we owe you one."

Cam laughs and shakes his head, "it's nothing. Like I said, we're family."

The three of them share a group hug and Dustin suddenly feels out of place.

"I should get going..." he mumbles to no one in particular and marches away. Unknown to him, Marah's eyes are glued onto his back, she bites her lip to stop herself from calling his name and tries to focus on what Cam and Kapri say.

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That night, during dinner, the Ops is more lively than ever. The gang is seen discussing recent issues.

 **Hunter-** "Man, I'm stressed."

 **Dustin-** "Dude, me too. I'm beat. I can feel it my nerves. No, in my body. Ugh! Does it make any sense?"

 **Tori-** "Only to you, Dusty."

 **Dustin-** "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

 **Cam-** "It means we all need a break."

 **Shane-** "Yeah, like we need to take a day off, something like that. Is it possible Cam?"

 **Cam-** "Why not? It'll be a much needed breather for us 'cause things might soon get hectic."

 **Hunter-** "Yeah, I know what you mean. It's like relax while you still can, huh. Never know when danger's gonna pop in."

 **Dustin-** "Let's hit the beach. What do you say guys? Just like when we were rangers?"

 **Hunter-** "I'm feeling nostalgic and it's bad for my health. But still, it sounds great. What do you say Blake?"

Blake looks up from his plate. He's been staring at his meal the whole time which doesn't go unnoticed by his brother.

 **Blake-** "You're right. This whole alien and Samurai thingie is giving me the creeps."

Blake gives him a genuine smile. Hunter sighs out of relief as he plops down beside his brother.

 **Blake-** "What? Were you that worried?"

 **Hunter-** "Of course I worry about my moody little brother all the time."

Hunter bumps his shoulder with Blake's.

"Hey, now, I'm not always moody okay." Blake snaps.

"Oh, so you admit you're moody sometimes."

"Whatever."

With a shrug of his shoulders Blake returns to eating his sushi balls. It's true that he had been a little upset about certain things but he wasn't the type to get obsessed over his problems.

 **Blake-** "May be we all should go motocrossing next. Dustin?"

Blake looks to the ex-yellow ranger, who scarfs down last piece of his dinner to join the conversation.

 **Dustin-** "Yeah. That sounds awesome. I've upgraded my bike last week and I just can't wait to try how it goes."

Marah who's been silent all the time watches Dustin as he chatters excitedly with the Bradley brothers. He sure loves moto-crossing she muses before hearing someone clearing his throat. _Oh crap! She's been staring at Dustin the whole time, how embarrassing!_

She turns to the voice and it's Cam.

"You're coming too..." **Cam** states with a smile.

"We are?" Kapri who's an earshot away asks incredulously.

 **Cam-** "Of course you are. We're on the same side now."

The sisters give him a huge smile and hug him in unison. It's a welcome change for the two of them and they are happy.

"You're all exempted from performing your duties tomorrow," Sensei who had given his silent acknowledgment now declares, "enjoy yourselves and don't forget you have responsibilities there after."

Everyone bow to Sensei and thank him as he leaves.

Shane returns to his seat where he picks up a plate. Although he's in no mood to eat, his stomach seemed to have chosen to betray it.

He fiddles with his fork, playing with his doughnut when Tori comes from behind.

"Want me to feed it to you?"

Shane looks at her, surprise marking his face now turning into amusement.

"You're gonna… what?"

He asks with a chuckle.

"What you heard," Tori sits next to him, a smile on her face.

"Oh come on! You can't be serious."

"I am, Cadet Clark- ahem I mean, Sensei Clark, it's now my duty to see that you're well fed."

"And just who ordered you to watch over me?"

"Who else, Sensei is worried too you know. And besides, I don't need anyone telling me to look after my best friend."

Shane shakes his head, chuckling once again, "oh I'm not a kid okay, honestly Tor, you should stop mothering me or you're boyfriend over there is gonna be really jealous…!"

"My.. What?" Tori looks behind her back to find Blake staring at the duo.

"Hey." Blake says sheepishly, having been caught.

"Hi.." Tori gets up to greet him, turning around.

"And now you can stop fussing over me, Tor, haha..." Shane laughs.

Tori doesn't know what's so funny but she's a bit embarrassed that Blake has witnessed her exchange with Shane.

Blake now is standing in front of her, a small smile on his face.

It's strange how she can talk about anything with Shane while with Blake she's running out of words. It hasn't been like that with the latter though. They hit it off really well and she wanted to go out with him. She still does though, does she?

"Um.. so Blake, What's up?"

Shane bursts out laughing at this exchange.

"oops, my bad, sorry. I know it's rude. But that expression on your face Tori..."

Tori turns to Shane as he continues to laugh.

"Hey! Cut it. You can't even see my face."

"Haha. True but I know you too well and… you're making that face again… pfftt hahaha..."

"Shane Clarke, laugh while you can. Because in a few moments..."

She takes a doughnut in her hand and stuffs it in his mouth, "you won't be able to laugh!"

It's her turn to laugh as Shane now tries to speak while chewing the huge doughnut that Cam has made especially for him..

"mmm not mm fair.."

"Serves you. And good for me, I got you to eat as well. Now for the second one here..."

"Hey hold on!" Shane says finally finding his voice, " I'll eat it myself, thanks."

"That's like a good boy."

"Thanks Momma..."

The duo glance at each other for a few moments and then they burst out laughing again.

When Tori finally turns around to look at Blake, he's no where to be found. She watches Shane finish his dinner. They chat for a bit. Shane asks her to go after Blake.

Later that night, Tori tries to find Blake in his room but no one answers when she knocks.

"I hope he didn't feel left out..."

.

.

.

The next day….

The cool sea breeze feels soothing after long hours they spent at the Race track. Dustin and the Bradley brothers had gone motocrossing, Shane went to skate while Tori and Cam hit the beach early with Marah and Kapri.

The gang now fully assembled watches the sunset as they play in the water. They have snacks and are relaxing in the sand when it happens.

A thunder roars in the sky. Black clouds appear out of nowhere, casting a dark shadow over the area scaring the people around.

"What the heck-"

Something, some random objects land just before their eyes and the ex-rangers have to rub their eyes twice before confirming what they are.

"kelzaks!" Dustin exclaims.

Shane- "I can't believe my eyes!"

Tori- "You know what this means?"

"Our fun ends and battle begins here."

The kelzaks all lunge at the ex-rangers, some of them firing off their laser guns.

Blake- "Shit! they're armed!"

Hunter- "I hate how we can't even morph!"

Shane- "No time to complain guys, lets take them down, the nija style! Hyahhh!"

Shane yells before running to knock down a Kalzak, the others nod and follow suit.

"Marah, Kapri, take cover…." Cam yells to his cousins.

"We'll help," with a shake of their heads, the girls dwell into the battle with the kelzaks they're so familiar with.

Marah kicks a Kalzak in the stomach laying it flat. The girls share a high-five before returning to task at hand.

"There are more coming!" hunter yells pointing out the sky.

Sure enough, more and more kelzaks begin to launch an attack on the ex-rangers.

Dustin- "We're out numbered! Shit!"

Hunter- "And we don't even have powers, ugh!"

Shane- "Keep holding them off, guys!"

the gang encourages each other and keep fighting.

Marah takes down another Kelzak with her bare hands and that's when someone yells-

Voice- "Watch out!"

Strong arms pull her out of harm's way. She realizes she's just missed being the target of a high power laser beam just by hair's breadth, followed by another realization of being in someone's arms, someone she knew so well.

"Oh..." she looks up at him and there he is, holding off three kelzaks while keeping her safe in his arms, the brave ex- yellow ranger, **Dustin Brooks.**

"ow.." she winces a little as he twists her suddenly to hit another attacking enemy. His grip on her is still firm. Even with the chaos around, she feels safe and in the heart of hearts she wishes he would never let her go. A warm feeling floods her chest and she knows it can be only be love.

Dustin keeps fending off the enemies but they just keep coming. His chest suddenly feels tight, he huffs taking a deep breath and the warmth in his arms feels almost overwhelming. He looks down at her. Why is it that he has taken her in his arms? And why is it that he can't seem to let her go. For a moment he locks his eyes with hers but the foes pouring in won't give him much time.

"Keep fighting!" Shane yells, although he seems tired himself.

"Shane," Tori runs to him, out of breath, " there are just too many! We can't- How will we?"

Shane pauses mid-fight to look at her, "are you okay?"

"I am. But I don't think I can be for a long time-" Tori lunges back into fighting, running, kicking kelzaks and dodging laser beams.

Blake watches this exchange out of the corner of his eye. But he's held back to run after her. And to his dismay, Shane gets to her before he does.

"I'll cover for you."

"Shane.." Tori smiles at him, " thanks."

"We're a team and we're best friends."

Shane returns the smile and back to back, they resume fighting when suddenly the kelzaks all disappear.

"They're gone!" Dustin exclaims finally releasing Marah.

Hunter- "We're the only ones left here on the beach."

Tori- "Hey! Look!"

everyone looks up at the sky and there's an opening, something that looks like a wormhole from one of those fictional stories. Soon they spot an Alien space ship and then a hologram featuring a mean looking Alien-

"Bazirg!" Marah exclaims in horror as Dustin once again wraps his arms around her. Bazirg is a rather mean looking alien, his greenish face uglier than any of the wicked aliens they had taken down.

Bazirg- "I hope you all have liked the trailer. You rangers can't even take down my minions. You will not be able to save this planet. Stand in my way and you're doomed! Doomed! Ahahaha!"

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 _ **FIN!**_

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 **AN:** phew! That's it. I hope you guys liked it. Took me nearly a month to finish. Life has become lot hectic and I miss writing.

Dang!

My heart feels full now that I updated :)

Thanks.

 **NEXT:** Shane has a nightmare. Marah has plan for Rangers? Stay tuned!


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